How Occupational Therapy Helps Visual Perception in Children

Visual perception, or visual processing, is the brain’s ability to make sense of what the eyes see. It plays an important role in development, as it affects a child’s ability in reading, writing, solving math equations, memory, completing puzzles and many other skills. Weak visual perception holds a child back from accomplishing these daily tasks, which can cause low self-esteem and a decline in academic performance.

Occupational therapy can be very beneficial for strengthening visual perception in children. Through different OT activities, a child can improve their ability in visual tasks, stay engaged in academics, complete self-care tasks, develop a sense of well-being and keep up with their peers’ reading and writing skills.

Here are some activities and techniques that can help your child’s visual perception:

• Place visual cues, such as a colored dot or a sticker, on paper at the start point of writing, cutting or drawing.

• Use a colored marker to outline the borders that your child needs to cut, draw or write within.

• Practice sensory activities that stimulate touch, smell, sight, hearing and taste.

• Work on puzzles, memory games and dot-to-dot worksheets.

The Hands on Fun OT for Kids program guides parents and children through many occupational therapy activities that can help develop visual perception in the comfort of your own home. For more information on our programs, please click here.